Thousands of homeless people will be receiving a warm meal thanks to the actions of the Scouting families at 1st Greenside Scout Group. The volunteers and young people of the Group decided to take their Mandela Day initiative to a new height by making 1000 jars/bags of hope to feed homeless people throughout Johannesburg. By Saturday the Scout Group had collected 1085 jars/bags of hope in answer to the challenge.
“We put out the call to our 60 Scouting families and the response was phenomenal,” says SGL Jean Paul Percival. “Our Cubs, Scouts and Rovers were so desperate to participate in a physical activity again that they embraced this challenge wholeheartedly. Families brought readymade jars as well as packets of ingredients which were then used to fill jars and bags of hope by Scouts and Rovers. The biggest challenge was the lack of enough jars”, he explains.
“Every year we participate in Mandela Day initiatives and run community service projects. This year our Scouting families embraced the Jars of Hope feeding initiative as it gave us the opportunity to actually make a difference in the lives of homeless people affiliated to JOSH, the Johannesburg Organisation of Services to the Homeless. With what we have collected so far over 4300 people that are struggling to find a warm meal will be able to eat”, he says humbly.
Cub Indigo Woodburn
“One Cub, Indigo Woodburn, using her own pocket money, contributed 110 Jars of Hope!
We have a phenomenal team of volunteers at 1st Greenside Scout Group, of which many are former Scouts themselves. It’s great for them to see their kids benefit from the Scouting programme as they once did. For me personally it’s extremely rewarding to see how keen our members are to assist those in need and how the Rovers stepped up to take the lead. Throughout the lockdown our Rovers have also been assisting the elderly and vulnerable people in our community with grocery shopping” he adds.
“Scouting didn’t stop for our Group, it merely changed to Scouting from Home. Our Cubs were sent weekly programmes which included online videos produced by our Pack Scouters. For example our PS would make a video on how to make a diorama and then during the week the Cubs would share what they made, etc. Our Scouts and Rovers had their weekly meetings through Discord. I’m delighted to see how our members enjoyed this Group activity with a difference.”
If you live in the vicinity of the 1st Greenside Scout Group and have Jars or Bags of Hope to donate please contact JP at JPPercival@scouts.org.za
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